PepsiCo India & FICSI to Train 2000 Rural Women in MP

By: WE Staff | Saturday, 13 September 2025

• PepsiCo India in partnership with FICSI introduced a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training programme in Madhya Pradesh
• The initiative is in alignment with PepsiCo India's 'Partnership of Progress' philosophy
• Aims to empower women through skill development and vocational training

PepsiCo India, along with the Food Industry Capacity and Skill Initiative (FICSI), has launched Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training, marking the first of its kind in Madhya Pradesh.

The training will up skill 2,000 rural women across five districts — Singrauli, Sidhi, Rewa, Shahdol, and Satna — as part of PepsiCo India's 'Partnership of Progress'.

The scheme is being led by Deepak Kumar Pandey (Gram Pradhan) and Ramesh Kumar Sah (Rozgar Sahayak), who highlighted that the scheme would facilitate sustainable agriculture and household livelihoods for women within the community.

The program will advance the Indian Government's aim to foster millet cultivation and consumption, with the outcome of the program creating a qualified workforce in millet processing.

The trainees will also be knowledgeable in food handling, hygiene, product development, and entrepreneurship. They will ultimately receive a 'Millet Products Processor' credential from FICSI with an NSQF-based certification.

The 50-hour tailor-made RPL programme aligns with the National Occupational Standards endorsed by the NSQC, providing industry-relevant, hands-on skills in food processing.

Production preparation, manufacturing millet composite flour, food safety, employability skills, and production of millet-based baked and extruded products are major areas for learning, preparing participants to work in the food industry more effectively.

Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia, said that the program is intended to make rural women confident food entrepreneurs by equipping them with NSQF-certified millet processing skills.

She underscored millets' nutritional, climate-resilient, and sustainable nature and pointed to the program's ability to bridge skill development with livelihood generation.

The course consists of FoSTaC (FSSAI) Basic Certification and hands-on training in the production of value-added millet products like baked foods, snacks, and flour.

In addition, participants learn good manufacturing practices, packaging, and marketing for entrepreneurship and business development.

PepsiCo India's initiative in Madhya Pradesh is an exemplar of a comprehensive strategy of inclusive growth, empowering women to become independent entrepreneurs while fostering the nutritional and ecological advantages of millets.

It is a paradigm for community empowerment through skill development, certification, and sustainable business.